Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Morgan State
Women's Basketball Drops Non-Conference Finale to Morgan State, 64-50
12/22/2015 5:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BALTIMORE, Md. – Bucknell was coming off its best game of the season with a win over Delaware on Sunday, but was unable to replicate that performance in a 64-50 loss at Morgan State on Tuesday. It was the final non-conference game of the season for the Bison, who enter Patriot League play with a record of 6-5.
Sophomore guard Jacquie Klotz recorded her fifth double-double of the season and the eighth of her career with 15 points and 14 rebounds, and junior forward Claire DeBoer tallied 14 points. But, Bucknell struggled to stop Lexus Spears inside. She scored 15 points and pulled down 15 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end, to help Morgan State improve to 3-10. The Bears finished with a 41-32 advantage on the boards, snapping the Bison's streak of out-rebounding their opponent in 17 straight non-conference games.
“It was disappointing, especially on the boards,” said Bucknell head coach Aaron Roussell. “We haven't been kicked around on the boards like that in a really long time. I thought we came out flat. We need more of a team effort.”
Braennan Farrar led Morgan State in scoring with 16 points, while Zuri White finished with 10 points. The Bears scored 20 points off of 18 Bucknell turnovers, including 10 of their 16 points in the first quarter. They led 16-8 after one quarter and upped their lead to 34-23 at the half.
Morgan State led by as much as 14 midway through the third quarter, but Bucknell cut the lead to eight, 48-40, on a pair of free throws by DeBoer at the end of the quarter. The Bison would get as close as six, 50-44, on a layup by junior Megan McGurk with 8:28 to play.
DeBoer finished with two steals, giving her a team-leading 25 on the season. She has at least one steal in all 11 games. DeBoer also had a great day at the foul line, converting all six of her attempts. The Bison went 11-for-12 from the line as a team.
Bucknell will get somewhat of a fresh start as it opens conference play against Navy on Wednesday, Dec. 30. The Bison were picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League in a preseason poll of the league's coaches and sports information directors, while the Mids were predicted to finish sixth.
